Hello all,

Been debating forced induction for some time, and happened upon an older Cartech or Begi kit from the 90's. Kit comes with an IHI RH5 VC47 turbocharger on a cast iron manifold, a small intercooler, bypass valve, an FMU, and lots of piping.

I have an email in with Corky Bell @ BEGI, and am very hopeful that he may have an old set of instructions, but if anyone here has a set or knows where to find, I'd be mucho appreciado.

So I've done some reading and am attempting to educate myself so I don't damage the engine and can (hopefully) speak intelligently regarding the various aspects of turbocharging that are bound to come up.

The plan:
To start, sort out the original kit and determine what I'm missing/need
add wideband O2 for tuning
add boost gauge for tuning
add larger 1.8 injectors, or similar
debate fuel pump, obviously some calculations will need to be done here
debate adding Bipes or similar timing retard control unit
add heavier clutch
add 1.8 rear end

For the time being, no fancy megasquirt or similar... I know, its the best thing ever, but not for me right now. Maybe someday. For now, I deal with band-aid solutions and tune fuel pressure via the widband O2.

Thoughts?
Anyone else running this setup?

Still going thru the search looking at posts...

Pics to follow...

 

 

I would recommend you investigate the cost of a solid used Megasquirt MSPNP 9093 -vs- the cost a Bipes + rising rate fuel pressure regulator + O2 sensor clamp + marginally larger injectors. The Bipes/RRFPR thing was once an acceptable solution, but we have since moved past the era of stone tools and burning witches. Its oldschool and it kinda works, but there is a lot of things that you kinda have to take on faith to keep it working. Even the MSPNP 9093 is older tech, but it should be fine for your current goals.

Any chance you have pics of the kit? I've never actually seen one of the early units.
Edit: Beat me to it on the pics

 

Someone took a sawzall to the downpipe at some point, so will need to get a downpipe to mate to the IHI

 

Anyone know what this tube is/does? I haven't seen anything like it in any of the kits, appears to be a water tube, maybe a coolant reroute kit? Has a smaller line coming off it for maybe a heater hose and a threaded boss for a temp sensor?

 

That's a hard coolant line off a Mitsubishi 4g63 motor (Eclipse/Talon/Laser).

 

Thats impressive - thanks! Now what's it doing with the rest of this turbo kit? Is this a diy coolant reroute I haven't heard of? Looks like it could work... But i was planning more the 1 continous radiator hose method, the long GM upper hose for a tahoe or escalade or something.. p/n around here somewhere.

 

I don't usually pull a rabbit out like that...I have owned two Talons and I work at a shop that sees a bunch of them Really odd that it would be with your turbo goodies for a Miata, for sure. I'll try to remember to grab one and see if it in any way would work in a reroute setup tomorrow when I'm there.

 

Thanks - all hail the squirrel pope!

I saw the turbo exhaust inlet flange thread, with all the common sizes, is there something with the exhaust outlet flanges? Need to find a mating downpipe...

 

Grabbed a couple of shots of that water pipe and engine. Looks like it could be used for a reroute, but might not be worth the trouble to weld up the extra openings...IIRC there's a hose from a GM vehicle that pretty much covers this in one piece.

 

Sick turbo kit, bra.

Nice of you to take those pics for the OP. +props.

 

my advice would be to look at it long term. Getting a megasquirt may be costly but will be less costly then blowing your engine up and finding a new way to work plus the added stress of dealing with it all. Anything worth doing is worth doing the right way.

 

You can still blow your **** up with a Megasquirt



Just sayin'

 

Thanks for the pic Matthewdesigns, agreed it might work, but prob not worth the trouble. Going the GM bigass upper hose route! Still gathering parts for the reroute, but hose should be here any day now. Having the spacer machined from some 6061 and need to order the Ki water neck yet.

Also need to sort out my downpipe, someone sawzalled it at some point, and only left me the exhaust pipe side. Without the other half, i'll have to get it all ghetto rigged up in place in the car, thenhang the exhaust and measure the gap between the sawed off tubes and the turbo dp flange. should be interesting..

To MS or not to MS, well that is certainly a good question. Arguably, it could be bad either way. Thus i will be treading carefully when getting it tuned. Its not a daily driver, so no worries there at least.

 

Alright, after much deliberation, I am indeed considering MS...

My earlier route of going old school was primarily based on my bank account - since then, I've found that it will cost nearly the same (As EO2K pointed out!). Thus, it makes a lot more sense to Squirt it.

There seems to be endless literature on MS on the web, I've read a lot but it just keeps going and going and... Suffice to say, I'm at least at a point where I think I get the basic concept and understand how it works.

I'm leaning towards going with Braineack's DIYPnP setup, assuming he's still making them, or finding a used one...
For just under $600, it looks like I plug it in, tune it, and drive it, tune it some more, then enjoy it. I'm not scared of building the basic kit myself, but it would be nice to have someone who's done it a few times and has some expertise build it, and add whatever mods are needed.

So I suppose I've seen the light.

 

Yes, he's still building them, but as popular as they are it's not a rarity that him and Reverant are backed up with orders.

With a budget build you can't go wrong with MSI. Yes they've made a LOT of advancements with the MS2 and 3, but I've seen them go as cheap as $200-250. Can't beat that for a "modern" standalone computer.

As for the kia water neck, if you have access to a tig welder, use your 1.6 water neck. Shave off the fan switch (you won't need it with MS) mounting bung and weld over it. Voila, you've created a Kia water neck.

 

Thanks for the update Curly, good to know!

I wouldnt mind doing the ms1 or ms2, but i get lost in all the add ons, mods, daughter boards, etc.. just seems so much simpler with the PnP.

That's what i did on the 1.6 neck, although in retrospect I think i would have just gotten the kia neck and not screwed around with it.

 

I may have a 90-93 Brainy-rebuilt MS2 up for grabs in the near future, and I have no doubts you'll be able to find plenty more if you keep your eyes peeled.

 

Blaen99 - you have my attention, lol. I'll PM you for details, thank you

Jesse

 

Looks like I'll be controlling fuel/ignition with a MS2 basic from Reverant... Unless I spot the perfect used unit in the classifieds in the next few days.

EO2K - I sent you a PM, will be in need of a cheap laptop!